Machine for sewing knitted fabrics.



W. H. ZELLERS, DEGD. L. 0. ZELLERS, EXBOUTRIX. MACHINE FOR SEWING KNITTED FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1909.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

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WLJ ZL LNWM- 1,069,361 Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

EXECUTRIX OF SAID WILLIAM H. ZELLERS, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN W. HEPWORTH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR SEWING KNITTED FABRICS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. ZELLERS, citizen of the United States, and resident of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sewing Knitted Fabrics, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of machines for sewing knitted fabrics wherein are employed an intermittently rotatable head provided with a series of radially extending impaling pins for receiving and advancing the edges of the fabric to be united, and a sewing mechanism including a needle and a looper acting in conjunction with each other to effect the sewing operation while the edges of the fabric are advanced by the impaling pins.

The object of my invention, as generally stated, is to provide a novel, simple and efficient construction and organization of mechanism for efiecting the actuation of the needle and looper during the sewing operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the drawings :Figure l is a plan View of a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing one position of the sewing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another position of the sewing mechanism. Fig. 4. is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 00a2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section on line y; of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a section on line z2 of Fig. 6 Fig. 8 is a section on line rv-w of Fig. at

The main frame of the machine comprises a bed plate 7, and an overhanging arm 8 rising from the bed plate 7. The overhanging arm 8 supports an annular head 9 to which is fitted a rotatable annulus 10 carrying a series of radially extending impaling pins 11 for receiving and advancing the edges of the fabric to be united.

The annulus 10 carrying the impaling pins is intermittently rotated from the driving shaft 12 of the machine by suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19, 1909.

Patented Aug. 5,1913. Serial No. 478,931.

mechanism the construct-ion and operation of which is common and well known and needs no detailed description or illustration herein. The driving shaft 12 is mounted in suitable hearings on the bed plate 7, and it is provided wit-h a pulley 13 by means of which power may be applied to the shaft.

Secured to the arm 8 on the main frame of the machine, by being screwed thereinto, is one end of a shaft 15, the other end of which extends outwardly from the arm 8. Surrounding the shaft 15 is a sleeve 16 havlng an eccentric end portion 17 which is split and is adapted to be clamped upon the shaft 15. Surrounding the eccentric portion 17 of the sleeve 16 is the split strap 18 of a downwardly extending bracket 19. The split strap 18 is provided with a screw 20 arranged to draw the two sides of the split strap 18 toward each other, and at the same time draw the two sides of the split eccen tric 17 toward each other, thus clamping the strap 18 to the eccentric 17 and the eccentric 17 and therewith the sleeve 16 to the shaft 15. It will thus be seen that the bracket 19 is fixed with relation to the arm 8, and the bed plate 7, and forms in effect apart of the main frame of the machine.

Extending horizontally from the lower portion of the bracket 19 is a fixed shaft 21, and pivoted on the shaft 21 is the needle arm 22 to which is secured a curved needle 23. The shaft 21, the needle arm 22, and the needle 23 are so positioned with relation to the impaling pins 11 that the rocking of the needle arm 22 will cause the needle 23 to pass over the tops of the impaling pins 11 and penetrate the edges of the fabric to be united as the impaling pins 11 are successively presented to the needle during the sewing operation. The needle arm is connected by a link 24 to a needle-and-looper actuating rocking arm 25, which is pivotally mounted on the sleeve 16 hereinbefore referred to. The rocking arm 25 is connected to an arm 26 which extends from an eccentric strap 27 surrounding an eccentric 28 on the driving shaft 12. It will thus be seen that during the rotation of the driving shaft 12, the eccentric 28 will rock the arm 25 on the sleeve 16, and thereby, through the link 24, rock the needle arm 22 on the shaft 21, thus reciprocating the needle 23. The timing of the reciprocations of the needle with relation to the intermittent movement of the annulus 10, is such that each time an impaling pin 11 comes to a position beneath the needle 2", the needle will be advanced to penetrate the edges of the fabric carried by the impaling pins, during the sewing operation which will be hereinafter explained.

ltotatably mounted in a boss 29 in the rocking arm 25, is a rocking shaft 30, to the lower portion of which is secured a loopercarrying arm 31 carrying the looper The free end of the looper 32 is pointed and bent to extend laterally from the body of the looper through a substantially horizontal plane over the path of the impaling pins. The looper arm 31 is in engagement with a cam which is supported by a bracket fixed to the shaft 21, and the looper arm 31 is held in engagement with the cam 33 by the action of a spring arranged between the rocking arm 25 and an arm 36 extending from the upper end of the rocking shaft 30.

The needle 23 extends toward the edges of the fabric to be united from one side of their path of travel, and the looper 32 extends toward the edges of the fabric to be united from the other side of their path of travel. During the sewing operation, the rocking of the arm 25 not only reciprocates the needle back and forth through the edges of the fabric; but it also reciprocates the looper back and forth over the edges of the fabric; and during the back and forth movement of the looper 32 it also given a lateral movement on its pivotal connection with the arm 25, through the shaft 30, by the engagement of the looper arm 31 with the fixed cam 33, the spring 35 maintaining the looper arm 31 in engagement with the cam 33 and the shape of the cam controlling the lateral movement of the looper 32 in a manner to cause the laterally-extending pointed end of the looper to move laterally over the top of the needle during the forward. movement of the looper by the rocking arm 25, and to move back from its position above the needle during the reverse move ment of the looper by the arm 25. The looper is hrovided with a threadreceiving eye 32 near its free, bent end, through which a thread 37 passes to the stitches be ing formed in uniting the edges of the fabric. The needle 23 is also provided with an eye 23 near its free or pointed end, through which a thread 38 passes to the stitches being formed in uniting the edges of the fabric. The thread 3'? passes from any suitable source through a tension device thence through an eye 40 on the looper arm 31, thence through an on the free end of a spring take-up arm 411, thence through a groove in the looper arm 31 to and through the eye 32 in the looper 32.

The thread 38 passes from any suitable source through a tension device 4-2, thence through an eye t3 on the link 24:, thence through an eye on the free end of a spring take-up arm e4, thence through an eye on the link 2%, and thence through an eye 46 on the needle arm 22 to and through the eye 23 in the needle 23. Supported by the shaft 21 is a bracket 51 carrying a rod 52 provided with a horizontal projecting finger located directly above "the path of the fabric to be sewed and under the path of the looper 32, as shown, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The tension devices 39 and 12 are of well known construction, and they are supported upon a shaft 4:7 which is carried by a bracket -18 secured to the shaft 15 by means of a set screw it will be observed that the take-up arm 14 hereinbefore mentioned is secured to and projects from the bracket 43.

The operation of the machine is as fol lows :The edges of the fabric to be united are impaled upon the pins 11 in the usual manner, and the annulus 10 is intermittently rotated to bring the impaling pins 11 successively into position beneath the needle 23; and each time an impaling pin is presented to the needle 23, the needle 23 is reciprocated back and forth and the looper 32 is also reciprocated back and forth, the needle and looper 32 being reciprocated by the action of the rocking arm 25 under the in fluence of the eccentric 28. While the needle 23 is advancing and penetrating the edges of the fabric 50, the looper 32 is being retracted in the direction of the forward movement of the needle 23; and during the reverse movement of the needle 23, the looper 32 is being advanced in the direction of the reverse movement of the needle. During the forward movement of the needle 23 to the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the needle, during the initial forward movement thereof, passes through a loop of the thread 37 extending through the eye of the looper 32 to a previously formed stitch on one side of the looper 3L and to the source of supply for the thread 3'? on the other side of the looper and during the continued forward movement of the needle it passes through the loop of thread of the looper and penetrates the edges of the fabric to be united and carries with it and through the edges of the fabric a loop of the thread 38, one side of which extends from a previously formed stitch and the other side of which extends to the source of supply for the thread 33. During the forward movement of the needle 23, the looper 32 is being retracted, and during its retraction it casts off the loop of thread taken from the needle during the formation of the previously formed stitch. During the re Iii verse movement of the needle 23 and the forward movement of the looper 32, the looper advances toward the edges of the fabric 50 and the point of the looper passes over the needle and at the same time enters the loop of thread extending through the eye of the needle which loop of thread engaged by the looper is held by the looper 32 until the reverse movement thereof, when said loop of thread is cast ofl. Thus it will be seen that the needle 23 penetrates the edges of the fabric to be united each time an impaling pin comes to a position beneath the needle; and each time a stitch is formed by the needle 23 advancing and penetrating the edges of the fabric and being withdrawn therefrom, the needle 23 receives a loop of the thread 37 from the looper 32 and the looper 32 receives a loop of the thread 38 from the needle 23. Thus an overseam of interlocked stitches is formed by the joint action of the needle and looper, which overseam of interlocked stitches and the forma tion thereof by a needle and a looper, generally considered, is old in this art and therefore no detailed illustration of the formation of the stitch is deemed necessary herein. During the sewing operation the finger 53 is embedded in the chain of stitches which is moved from the free end of the finger as the fabric is advanced by the impaling pins. It will therefore be seen that after the end of the fabric being sewed has been advanced from the needle and looper, and when no fabric is present at the point of sewing, the stitches will be formed around the finger 53 to preserve the sewing operation until fabric is again presented to the needle and looper.

The entire needle and looper supporting and actuating mechanism, aside from the eccentric 28, is designed to be held together upon the shaft 15 independently of the other parts of the machine so that such mechanism may be sold separately from the other parts of the machine, in the nature of an attachment to be applied to machines not provided with mechanism for doing the work of my invention.

In sewing machines of the class to which my invention relates, it is necessary to accurately adjust the needle and the looper in respect to the impaling pins for the fabric. I accomplish the adjustment of the needle 23 by the provision of the eccentric 17. It will be seen from the foregoing description that by loosening the screw the eccentric 17 may be raised and lowered about the shaft 15 in a manner to adjust the bracket 19 and therewith the needle 23 toward and from the path traversed by the impaling pins, and that the pivot of the needle 23 may be adjusted substantially parallel to the plane through which the impaling pins 11 move, by moving the bracket 19 about the axis of the eccentric 17. After the required adjustment of the needle has been effected, the parts are secured in place by tightening the screw 20.

I provide a screw 60 for holding the looper arm 31 in place upon the shaft 40, and I am therefore enabled, by loosening the screw 60, to adjust the looper arm 31 upon the shaft 10, and thereby adjust the looper 32 carried by the arm 31 with relation to the needle 23 and impaling pins 11.

I claim 1. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins and their actuating mechanism, of a needle-and-looper actuating reciprocating part, means for reciprocating said part, a movable looper carried by said part, means for moving the looper with respect to said part during the movement of said part, a needle,-and connections between said needle and said part.

2. In a machine for sewing knitted fabric, the combination with a support, the impaling pins and their actuating mechanism, of a needle-and-looper actuating rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a movable looper carried by said arm, means for moving the looper with respect to said arm during the movement of said arm, a needle, and connections between said needle and said arm.

3. In a machine for-sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a looper arm pivoted to the rocking arm, a looper carried by the looper arm, means for moving the looper arm on its pivot during the movement of the rocking arm, a needle and connections between said needle and said rocking arm.

1. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a looper arm pivoted to the rocking arm, a looper carried by the looper arm, means for moving the looper arm on its pivot during the movement of the rocking arm, a pivoted needle arm, a needle carried by the needle arm, and connections between said needle arm and said rocking arm.

5. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the im paling pins, and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a looper arm pivoted to the rocking arm, a looper carried by the looper arm, a fixed cam engaged by the looper arm, a needle, and connections between said needle and said rocking arm.

6. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins, and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a looper arm pivoted to the rocking arm, a looper carried by the looper arm, a fixed cam engaged by the looper arm, a pivoted needle arm, a needle carried by the needle arm, and connections between said needle arm and said rocking arm.

7. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the in'ipaling pins, and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a pivoted needle arm, a needle carried by the needle arm, a link connecting the needle arm to the rocking arm, a looper, and connections between the looper and the rocking arm.

8. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins, and their actuating mechanism, of a rocking arm, means for rocking said arm, a pivoted needle arm, a needle carried by the needle arm, a link connecting the needle arm to the rocking arm, a looper arm pivoted to the rocking arm, a looper carried by the looper arm, and means for moving the looper arm on its pivot during the move mentof the rocking arm.

9. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins and their actuating mechanism, of a needleand-looper actuating rocking arm, a pivot stud for said arm, means for rocking said arm, a needle, a looper, connections between said needle and said arm, connections between said looper and said arm and means carried by said stud for regulating the distance between said needle and said pins.

10. In a machine for sewing knitted tal rics, the combination with a support, the impaling pins, and their actuating mechanism, of a needle, a looper, means for actuating the needle and the looper, a pivot stud for the needle, means for adjusting said stud in a direction substantially at right angles to the plane in which the impaling pins move, means for adjusting said stud in a direction substantially parallel to the plane in which the impaling pins move, and means for holding said stud in positions of adjustment.

11. In a machine for sewing knitted fabrics, the combination of a supporting frame, the impaling pins, means 011 said frame for supporting and actuating said pins, a stud projecting from said frame, a needle provided with supporting means suspended from said stud, a looper provided with supporting means suspended from said stud, and means for actuating the needle and the looper.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

VM. I'IARRISON SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

